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Experts often recommend that people with attention deficit disorder (ADD)/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) avoid jobs that involve a lot of paperwork or repetitive routine. Dealing with detail is always tough for people with ADD/ADHD and since they often get easily bored, those with this disorder are frequently best suited to jobs that have lots of variety, where the challenges and pace differ from day to day. Sometimes experts steer people with ADHD to jobs in sales or to entrepreneurship, running their own businesses. But while these choices are probably better fits than close-focus jobs like bookkeeping or air-traffic control, Barbara Luther, a master coach certified by the International Coach Federation and director of training at the ADD Coaching Academy, warns against thinking too narrowly. "Even sales jobs require paperwork, and being an entrepreneur often demands high-level organizational skills."

The important thing for people with ADD/ADHD to remember when dealing with job challenges is that they can succeed in any job they choose. Success is just a matter of figuring out how to maximize strengths and work around weaknesses. Don't narrow down your options. Instead, take these helpful tips to work with you:

Adopt a positive approach.Choose a field you're passionate about and then devise strategies that will help you succeed. "Organizational equipment and time management techniques can help. The key is to have an awareness of the areas that tend to trip you up. But people with ADHD succeed in every conceivable field," says Luther. "There's no reason to let ADHD limit your dreams."

Work around weaknesses, but play to strengths.Edward Hallowell, MD, and John Ratey, MD, co-authors of Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most Out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder, urge people with ADD/ADHD to shift their focus away from what they can't do and concentrate on what they can do. With ADD/ADHD, you have to work at improving your attention and focus, but it's important not to let your weaknesses overshadow your strengths. "Do what you're good at. Don't spend too much time trying to get good at what you're bad at."

Take focus breaks. Using willpower to push your way through a long assignment can actually hamper your progress if you have ADD/ADHD. The likelihood of failure will lead to greater frustration. It's like trying to run through a wall instead of figuring out a way around it or over it. While it may seem counterintuitive, taking strategic breaks while working on a big project can help keep you focused and boost your productivity. Dr. Hallowell and Dr. Ratey suggest that if you take occasional breaks and get a little bit of exercise — a ten-minute walk in the fresh air or a quick stretching routine — the change of pace is likely to help your focus and increase your productivity overall.

Enlist a partner. "See if you can find a co-worker who is good at organizing and scheduling," suggests Luther, "and explore the possibilities of forming an informal professional partnership." Remember, you're not looking for someone to do your job for you, you're offering to share complementary strengths. Ideally, you would offer your creativity and energy to someone who needs support in other areas.

Write your way to silence. Many people with ADD/ADHD have a tendency to blurt things out by speaking impulsively at inopportune times. When you feel that urge rising, write down your thought immediately instead of saying it aloud. Just the few moments it takes to put it on paper may help you control the urge and evaluate whether it's something you really want to say.

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